Why Is My Blue Star Juniper Turning Brown?

Browning in a juniper can be from different things such as insect infestation and tip blight.

How To Prune A Blue Star Juniper

Due to their slow growth rate, you don't ever need to prune them. Remove dead or overgrown branches in spring before the new growth season.

How To Winterize This Juniper

Mulch 3" away from the trunk of the tree up to the edge of the canopy. Removed dead or diseased branches in late winter before spring growth.

Planting

Be sure to choose the best location for your Blue Star Juniper. As long as you avoid extreme temperatures you can plant your Juniper almost any time of the year.

Junipers thrive in full sun to part sun and adapt to any soil that is well drained. They do like a neutral to acidic soil so if you know you have an alkaline soil choose an acidic fertilizer (most fertilizers for evergreens are acidic). Junipers are great "street shrubs" as they tolerate pollution and salt well. After planting, adding a layer of 2 to 3 inches of mulch will help keep the soil moist and protect the lower branches from fungal issues. Do not allow the mulch to touch the trunk as this increases the chances of pests and disease.

Watering

Water your Juniper deeply a couple times a week for the first month or two. After your plants are established, they only need watered during hot, dry spells. Junipers are drought tolerant after establishing and even more so after being in the ground about two years.

Fertilizing

Fertilize when planting and in early spring yearly with a slow-release fertilizer.

Maintenance

Junipers are extremely hardy and versatile. When properly cared for, they rarely have issues with pests and disease. Mites and scale are insects that can occasionally affect Junipers. These can be treated with horticultural oil. For severe infections the pesticide Bonide is recommended. Avoid saturated soils to prevent fungal issues in Junipers.

Due to their universal nature, there are many ways to utilize a Blue Star Juniper in your yard or landscape design. Blue Star Junipers look terrific as both specimens or in a group planting. It all depends what you are looking for. Use in rock gardens, banks, slopes and borders. They even look great in containers! You may even consider using them in a standalone feature on your patio or balcony. If you’re looking for eye catching ideas, the Blue Star Juniper looks great when paired with Loropetalum, Holly, Dogwood, or Weigela. The silvery foliage looks beautiful in the winter when planted in flower gardens or as the background of other plants.

For additional options, be sure to browse our Juniper collection